Cherokee County is continuing to see a heavy toll from COVID-19, with seven more deaths announced Tuesday morning from ages in the late 40s to late 80s.
One other death was reported last week, which means the total number of deaths for the county stands at 63. There were 135 new cases of the coronavirus from Tuesday through Friday, 103 with no known source of transmission.
Despite that sobering reminder of the seriousness of the virus, Health Director David Badger did report some good news, with a slight but noticeable uptick in the number of first doses given in the county.
“It’s picking up, which is a good thing, especially on your first doses,” Badger said. “Part of that pickup has obviously been with people coming in to get a booster dose that qualify, but first doses are picking up. We’re starting to see that gap out where now instead of partially vaccinated number being maybe 2 percentage points higher than the fully vaccinated number about 4 percentage points higher.”
Badger added that more people still needed to take the vaccine to help further protect the county against the virus.
“That number, in all actuality, needs to be moving at a much faster pace,” Badger said.
As of Friday, data showed that 37.19 percent of the county was fully vaccinated, and 41.48 percent of local residents have taken a first dose.
Badger also discussed at-home tests for COVID-19, emphasizing that the tests, which can be purchased at most drugstores, were not part of the official case count. However, if a person tested positive with an at-home test, they could get tested at one of the test sites in the county or isolate, inform contacts and wait the virus out.
“Probably the bigger prevailing concern is they’re not as accurate of a test, and what would be concerning would be a false negative result,” Badger said.
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control & Prevention recommends staying in contact with a healthcare provider after testing positive with an at-home test.
“The recommended guidance, even I think on the box it says to do multiple tests,” Badger said. “I believe most of the recommendation on those say that this is not a diagnostic test, it’s just for more informational type purposes, and they need to be tested at a site to ensure the accuracy of the test.”
Ivermectin
An owner of Wayne’s Feed Store in Murphy who did not want to be identified confirmed that the store had been selling substantially more of the livestock dewormer than usual, as several, in some cases dubious sources claim the drug is an effective treatment for COVID-19.
He also repeatedly said that the store did not advocate using the drug beyond the instructions listed on the package.
The usual flu
Badger said that although last year’s flu season was lighter than normal, with the virus virtually nonexistent in the area due to the measure taken to prevent COVID-19, this year’s flu season could be more substantial as fewer people were masks, socially distance and adhere to other measures to prevent COVID-19, which are also effective against the flu.
“A lot of tests anyway are testing for both,” Badger said. “You have one test, and it’s a combo test. It’s flu A/B and COVID all at one time, so that’s going on anyway.”
He said for most, the protocols to be followed while being symptomatic with either illness would be similar.
“You’re going to stay put, get tested, and we’ll go from there to rule out one or the other,” Badger said.
Hospital update
In a letter sent from a group of 23 physicians and other medical professionals at Erlanger Western Carolina Hospital to the Cherokee Scout, the group said the Peachtree hospital was at maximum capacity, with most patients being there for COVID-19.
Of these, the latter said most were on oxygen therapy, with some being on ventilators. The letter added that hospital staff was struggling to keep up with the pandemic, and urged vaccines and mask wearing.
Union General Hospital in Blairsville, Ga. reported a similar situation last week with 64 inpatients in a facility designed for 45. Of these, 46 are COVID-19 patients, with 43 of that number unvaccinated.
Meanwhile, Jason Jones, CEO at Fannin Regional Hospital in Blue Ridge, Ga., said 80 percent of all inpatients are COVID-19 positive, with more than 90 percent being unvaccinated
“The virus is out there, and it’s hitting pretty hard right now, so people need to be aware,” Badger said. “Our best defense against that is going to be vaccines. Even fully vaccinated people need to not take unnecessary risks. They still need to continue to be proactive and have kind of a multi layered approach in addressing potential exposure.
“Really, now is the time more than ever to be as vigilant as we can, and not continue to dismiss the virus, because it is here.”
What’s around us
Surrounding counties were also making tough calls on how best to respond to COVID-19.
In Clay County, the 23rd death was recorded, while 13 of the 97 active cases of the virus were hospitalized. Of those, 67 were not vaccinated. In response, local officials encouraged residents to quarantine.
In Fannin County, Ga,. several officials are urging residents to consider being vaccinated against COVID-19 as the number of local cases grow and health-care facilities are strained. The Fannin County School System reported 51 new coronavirus cases among students and 12 among staff members last week.
In Gilmer County, Ga., free COVID-19 testing continues to be available through the health department. On Aug. 30, the drive-through testing site was moved to the Gilmer County Civic Center. Meanwhile, pre-kindergarten classes were closed for a week.
In Graham County, the board of education voted to send students home to take classes remotely through Friday. When students return to campus, masks will be mandated in all indoor spaces, including on buses. Meanwhile, all sporting events were canceled.
The Clay County Progress, The Graham Star, The News Observer and the Times-Courier contributed to this report.
Editor's note: A previous version of this article inadvertently combined statements from an associate at Wayne’s Feed Store with a comment by Cherokee County Health Director David Badger. The Scout regrets the error.